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San Ramon Planning Commissioner Harry Sachs won a seat on City Council and incumbent City Councilman Dave Hudson held on to his seat in a tight race for three top candidates.
Sachs received 4,030 votes, or 31.15% of the total, topping Hudson’s 3,782 votes, which gave him 29.24% of the total. Political newcomer Rene Mastumoto pulled 26.90% with 3,480 votes; Thomas von Thury, another newcomer to San Ramon politics took the bottom spot, with 1,574 votes or 12.17%.
Just over 500 votes separated the top three candidates in a race that drew 12,936 voters. By the time election results were released, just before 11 p.m., many of the supporters of each candidate had gone home.
“I’m very honored that the voters would put their trust in me,” Sachs said, as he prepared to leave The Golden Skate, where he and about 25 others awaited results. “We had a lot of help in this campaign and these folks made it happen.”
The election marks the fifth term for Hudson, who took the news of his reelection in stride.
“I’ve got to get up in the morning and go to work,” he said, noting he had to attend a meeting of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in the morning and a meeting of the Contra Costa Transportation Authority the same night.
“It isn’t all about campaigning,” Hudson said.
Matsumoto congratulated Sachs and Hudson, and said she plans to stay involved in San Ramon government.
“I think we all ran a terrific campaign,” Matsumoto said, adding she would consider an appointment to the Planning Commission or the city’s Economic Development Advisory committee. Sachs’ election will create an opening on the Planning Commission.
von Thury said he was disappointed with the election results.
“Obviously the results show they (voters) are in favor of more growth and development and they don’t want to keep San Ramon the way it is and that’s a surprise,” he said.